Thomas miller



(NoModeL) T. MILLER 85 N. E. LUPTON.

POKE.

No. 425,446. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

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show/1M A NTTED STATES PATENT @rrrcs.

THOMAS IIIILLER, OF SPRINGBOROUGH, AND NA'IHAN E. LUPTON, OF

' RIDGEVILLE, OHIO.

POKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,446, dated April 15., 1890.

Application filed May 21,1889. Serial No. 311,550. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS MILLER and NATHAN E. LUPTON, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Springborough and Ridgeville, in the county of \Varren and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AnimaLPokes; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l ofthe drawings is a perspective view of my improved animal-poke, showing a portion of the bow broken away; Fig. 2, a side elevatiompartly in section; Fig. 3, a detail perspective view of the metal yoke, and Fig. 4 a similar view of the metal plate for attaching to the upper side of the stang.

The present invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in animalpokes, that will effectually prevent animals from leaping fences or from throwing them down and it consists in the details of construction substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the usual how, the lower end of the arms thereof only being shown, and between these ends is pivoted the stang B, having the crosshead C, these parts being of the ordinary construction. The tapering ends a of the bowA have upon their outer sides spring-latches, consisting, preferably, of flat springs b, and fitting over these ends is a metal yoke D, whereby avery strong and firm connection is made between the bow and stang; The employment of the metal yoke D admits of the ends of the bow A being readily withdrawn by simply pressing on the springs 19 and readily replaced by simply inserting the ends of the bow in the yoke, and as this is being done the springs b willbe compressed suli'iciently to allow the ends to go into place, when the springs will resume their normal position and prevent the bow from being withdrawn.

The yoke D consists of two metal sockets or sleeves D, preferably tapering and connected by a transverse brace-plate (JV and a transverse rod 0, the latter forming a stationary pivot for the stang B, which is held to the rod by a cap-plate E, connected to the upper side of the stang by screws, said plate having a transverse corrugation c to fit over the rod and allow a free movement of the stang. The socket-s or sleeves D have open outer sides with flanges e f at the top and bottom, respectively, the former serving as stops for the springs I), as shown in Fig. 1, to hold the ends of the bow in engagement with the sockets or sleeves. The yoke, with its sleeves 0r sockets and pivot-rod, which serves the twofold purpose of a brace and a stationary pivot, is the essential feature of the invention and is considered of material importance to this class of devices, in that it strengthens the poke at a point where most needed and greatly facilitates the removal and replacing of the bow, and provides a firm and rigid connection therefor when the ends are engaged with the yoke.

The plate E at its inner end has a bearingflange F, extending transversely thereof, and is formed with seats (I for the arms 6 of a wire spring, said spring being formed from a single piece of wire having coils f, which fit over pins g, projecting from the sides of the stang B. The wire forming the spring is bent in shape of a loop 71, which embraces the upper side of the stang B near the cross-head O, and the extremities of the arms a are bent at righta-ngles to form spurs i, which pass through holes is in the cross-head C. The arms e of the spring have connected to them a transverse bar G, the projecting ends thereof forming bearings for the arms of the bow A.

' The above-described poke is secured to the animal by placing the bow around its neck so that the stang shall extend forward in front, in which position as the animal ap proaches the fence the projecting end of the stang will strike against it, and thereby force the ends of the bow down upon the head and press it on the breast of the animal, and at the same time the ends or spurs 6 of the spring not cause a protruding of the sharp ends of the spurs through the cross-head, thereby providing a very perfect and effective device for the purpose.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an ani1nal-poke, the combination, with the st'ang and bow thereof, of the metal yoke consisting of two sockets or sleeves connected by a transverse brace-rod, which serves as a stationary pivot for the stang, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combinatiomwith the stang and bow of an animal-poke, said bow having springlatches at its ends, of the metal yoke consisting of the sockets or sleeves connected by a transverse brace-rod, which serves as a stationary pivot for the stang, the outer sides of the sockets or sleeves having flanges to serve as stops for the spring-latches to hold the ends of the bow in engagement with the yoke,

substantially as and for the purpose described. v

3. In an animal-poke, the stang and how, the latter having spring-latches upon its ends, the spring-wire bent substantially as shownand the ends terminating in spurs, and the transverse bar connected to said wire, with its ends forming bearings for the arms of the bow, in combination with the metal yoke consisting of sockets or sleeves to receive the ends of the bow and connected byatransverse rod to 

